State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA)

SEPA General Statutes

Minimum Criteria

The SEPA General Statute and Administrative Rules specify that each state agency may establish minimum criteria specifying thresholds, above which an activity is presumed to have a potential detrimental environmental effect. Proposed projects that fall below these minimum criteria do not require environmental analyses.

An agency’s minimum criteria must undergo a public review and comment period prior to adoption, and must be approved by the Secretary of Administration. Information on this process can be found at 01 NCAC 25 Section 300.

Most state agencies that are involved in activities that may impact the environment, such as undertaking or permitting construction projects, have adopted minimum criteria.

These agencies are listed below, along with links to their minimum criteria:

SEPA Administrative Rules